Hair singeing torch



1933' A. BONGIOVANNI ET AL 1,937,624

HAIR SINGEI'NG TORCH Filed Aug. 20. 1932 Patented Dec. 5, 1933 Philadelphia, Pa., assignors of one-third to Salvatore Gaglione, Colling'dale, Pa.

Application August 20, 1932. Serial No. 629,714 1 1 7 Claims. (crew-22 This invention is intended to provide a novel and improved torch device for the use of barbers in singeing hair, its objects being the production of a very light and slender element of requisite 45 strength and rigidity adapted to burn slowly with a clear steady flame and having safety extinguishing as alsoself-lighting features rendering it particularly applicable to the stated purpose. r

10 Various kinds of burners and torches have of course been producedv and used for various purposes, but few of these are really. adapted or safe for use in the delicate and somewhat dangerous operation of singeing hair because of cumbersomeness, too large or hot, or else too flaring and uneven a flame and otherv well recognized reasons. Such as are generally used for the purpose very often burn too rapidly or wilt and drop pieces or residue which may fall onto the subjects neck or down his clothing with serious consequences, so that no really satisfactory burner has yet been devised for this particular purpose. It is these defects and objections which the torch here set forth is designed to eliminate insofar as possible, as also to provide a more convenient article. i

The invention willbe best understood by further description with reference to the accompanying drawing, illustrating a practicableembodiment thereof.

In said drawing:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal elevation of the burner element as partially formed, showing inner component parts in separated relation exposed by a broken away portion at one end;

Fig. 2 is a similar view representing the partially formed element intact for burning;

Fig. 3 is a like view showing the element with applied means for self-lighting;

Fig. a is a sectional view on the line 4-4 of the preceding figure; and

Fig. 5 correspondingly illustrates the completely formed burner element.

Referring to the several views, a stem-like torch adapted to burn from end to end is represented by the taper 6. This, formed preferably in av length substantially equal to that shown, comprises a plurality of cotton strands 7 arranged end to end, either with or without twisting together, in the form of a wick. These strands, of which are six in this instance, are of very loose twist so as to burn easily and are advantageously saturated or coated with a spermaceti before arranging together for the triple purpose of increasing their burning property,

causing them to adhere more readilyfortenaciously to each-other and adding a certain rigidity thereto. V

These strands so arranged in a wick formation are embeddedwithin a body 8 of wax or tallow I therewith forming the core of the taper,..such wax or tallow being well hardened and having only enoughv oily-fat content to' melt or burn away slowly and evenly as the strands themselves are fully consumed.- The leaving of residue or 5 charred ends of wick'and the formation'of globules of excessive oil resulting from incomplete consumption of both while burning and which might drop upon the 'subjects neckor clothing I are thus substantially eliminated, making it perfectly safe to hold the lighted end closetothe head. V Around the core formed by said strands and wax or tallowbody, aprotective coating 9 of paraffin is applied, this parafiln'be'in'g adapted to melt away at thesamerate. as thewax 'or tallow. The whole may advantageously, be worked or rolled to firmly compress the parts together. A slender burner element is thus formed, which will be adequatelystrong and rigid as re- 3' suit of the hardening ofthe'wax or tallow'and parafiin coatings over the cotton strands; to r which added rigidity is imparted, as aforestated, by saturating or coating the same-with a'sperma ceti. In use as intended therefore," there" is little g5 change of breakage or cracking, although a sufficient strain will of course weaken or rupture it because of the brittle nature of the wick-encompassing parts.

For convenience in lighting. this torch or t'aper, the same is tipped in this instance at both ends with a head 10 of a hardened combustible composition that is ignited by friction, such head being preferably of a substance or component I ignitible only by'scraping against a particular kind or material of surface like the ordinary safetymatch. This is done simply by dip ping the ends in a solution of the substance, the exact character and ingredient of whichv is merely incident to-the invention so that none is specif ically named. In addition to the convenience, this feature affords a safety'advantage-to 'the user since it eliminatesthe necessity of'lighting'" by match or separate flame which might become a fire hazard if not thereafter disposed of or carefully extinguished- If desired, an additional number of these igniting heads in the form .of beads might be applied 'atintervals along the length of the taper for re-lighting it at such intervals after burning only partially away, but this I material ignitible by would be unnecessary and even somewhat danflame when the tures it possesses over the ordinary 'It burns as aforestated with'a lo w clear and no spluttering or flaring gerous for the use here intended, because a full half of the taper'will be consumed in theordinary hair-singeing operation.

At the center of the torch, a thin metal sleeve 11 of approximately one inch lengthis applied therearound to hold without slipping in either direction, the same being advantageously ofrsplit form as represented for convenience in applying direct rather than over the end. functioning primarily to choke or snuff outthe taper has burned half-way down and so providing a safety-extinguishing.means, serves also as a holder for manipulating the torch in use without softening warmth or transmitting any of its oily substance to the fingers.

The novel and improved burner element thus produced for the stated purpose has decided advantages which will be quickly recognized. by barbers and hair treaters having occasion to use the same, not only for the practical convenience afforded by theself-lighti'ng feature, but also and more particularly for the described safety featorch device.

steady flame and with a complete consumption of the inflammable parts, so that there can be nor any dropping of residueparticles or wax as characteristic of ordinary tapers or devices of this kind.

' .Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Pat ent of the UnitedjStates is; 1

1. A hair singeing torch, comprising a plurality ,of'cotton strands embedded. in a body of wax coated over with paraffin and together forming a long slender inflammable member, combustive friction on the ends of the member, and a metallic sleeve serving to extinguish the flame applied around the middle part of said member." I c r A hair singeing torch, comprising a plurality of loose-twist cotton strands arranged: together end to end, a body of hardened wax encompassing the strands, a coating of paraffin around said body; said strands, wax body and paraffin coating together forming an inflammable and semi-rigid stem-like member of slender proportions, heads of a combustive composition ignitible by friction applied tothe endsof said member for self-lighting purposes, and a thin metallic sleeve secured around the middle part of the member to snuff 'out its flame when burned half-way down.

lee

This sleeve,-

the parafiin by bodyv the same, and a of cotton strands embedded together end to 3. A hair singeing torch, comprising a plurality of cotton strands embedded together end to end in a body of wax or" limited oily-fat content in formation of a semi-rigid stem member of slender proportions, tippings of a hardened combustible composition ignitible by friction on the ends of said member for lighting the same, anda thin metal sleeve applied around the middle part of the member for extinguishing its flame when burned down to a half-way point.

l. A torch member comprising a plurality of cotton strands arranged together end to end in a wick formation, a body of hardened waxv or tallow of limited oily-fat content encompassing said strands and therewith forming a substantially rigid stem-like member inflammable along its length, tippings of a hardened combustible material ignitible by friction on the ends of said member for lighting the same, and a thin'metal sleeve applied around the middle part of the mem her for extinguishing the flame thereof when burned down to a half-way point. 1

5. A hair singeingtorch, comprising a plurality of cotton strands embedded in a body of wax'or tallow of limited oily-fat together end, to end ion content in formation of a substantially rigid stem-- like member inflammable along its length, heads of a combustive composition ignitible by friction applied to the ends of said member for lighting in a body of wax or tallow having a limited oilyfat content in formation of a substantially rigid stem-like member inflammable along its length, and heads of a combustible composition ignitible by friction applied to the ends .ofsaid member for self -lighting the same from either end.

ANTONIO BONGIOVANNVI. ONOFRIO 'ZACAMY. I

w thin metallic sleeve secured around the middle part of the member so as to when it has burned end rec

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